Why pediatricians are ‘on the front line’ for depression and anxiety among teens

SALT LAKE CITY — A pediatrician may be the care provider best equipped to identify adolescents who struggle with depression so they can begin receiving treatment, according to new guidelines published this week by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Estimates place the number of youths who experience depression during adolescence at 1 in 5. But the academy and the American Psychological Association have both noted that teens who have depression are not always diagnosed or treated and symptoms go unrecognized or are brushed off. Adolescents should be screened every year, according to the new guidelines.